Mudminnows in a container pond

Hi everyone! I was thinking of setting up a 54 inch by 36 inch by 20H inch water trough as a water garden next year and was wondering what to put in it. My thoughts have wandered to mudminnows...not very colorful, but they would have a LONG season in my water garden and might even spawn if I put them out early enough. How would mudminnows do in a water garden? Would they survive under a thin layer of ice in a container pond? And could I house them in a 10 gallon when it gets so cold even the mudminnows need to come in? Thanks

Yes - IMO they are the all-around best fish for small pools and tubs (provided that you're OK with never seeing them). Better freeze-tolerance than Gambusia, good heat tolerance, and great skeeter-eaters. I've had a colony for years in a 12" deep wading pool above ground in central NC. It gets 2-3" thick ice in winter. Fry appear most years in early April. They're the only fish I've had overwinter in above-ground containers reliably year after year.

Gerald Pottern
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Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel